307th Fighter Squadron Maj. Jason Reiss checks his gear in the life support office before his flight with pilots-in-training from the 334th Fighter Squadron Feb. 10. Reiss is one of the Air Force reservists now attached to the 4th Fighter Wing.

A pilot steps to the Seymour Johnson Air Force Base flight line. He has an Air Force Reserve patch on his chest, but he is not approaching a KC-135R Strato-tanker. He isn't even a member of the 916th Air Refueling...